Clustered around a picturesque harbour, Wells-next-the-Sea is an attractive port town on the Norfolk Coast. It boasts a magnificent stretch of sand backed by colourful beach huts and lies near the bird-filled biosphere reserve at Holkham.

Things to do

Spend a day exploring the sand dunes, salt marshes and woodlands of Holkham National Nature Reserve, recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It provides a vital habitat for wintering wildfowls, such as Eurasian wigeon and pink-footed geese, as well as European otters and a rare antlion colony.

Ride on the Wells Harbour Railway that travels between Wells Harbour and the holiday park at Pinewoods. Pulled by the charismatic locomotives of Weasel, Densil, Howard and “The Duke”, its claim to fame is being the first 10 1/4-inch railway in the world to operate a scheduled passenger service.

Stroll along the golden sands of Wells Beach, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that’s reached by a short walk over the sand dunes. It’s renowned for its colourful beach huts that each have quirky names and is set against a backdrop of mature pines where grey squirrels reside.

A bustling quay lies at the heart of Wells-next-to-the-Sea, offering a great place to watch the fishing boats coming and going. Admire the early-1900s granary building, which overlooks the harbour, and test your luck in the amusement arcade, then dine on traditional fish and chips at one of the waterfront restaurants.

Getting around

Wells-next-to-the-Sea is a one-hour drive from Norwich International Airport and around three hours from London. It’s connected to the surrounding towns and villages by regular buses and is compact enough to explore on foot.